


heroes in all of us

by Miraphina Atherton (mew_tsubaki)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, cameos from Michael & Terry & Kevin, i suppose LOL, smthg cute tho bc Tony's so adorable, the clichés are worth it i promise XD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29413701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/Miraphina%20Atherton
Summary: Two wizards, a comic book, and one bad idea later, and we have a recipe for disaster.
Relationships: Stephen Cornfoot/Anthony Goldstein





	heroes in all of us

**Author's Note:**

> The Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. Read, review, and enjoy!

"Oh, Revered Rowena, that stuff again, Stephen?" Michael Corner groused at the Ravenclaw table at breakfast one morning.

Stephen Cornfoot rolled his eyes as he unwrapped the package the post had brought him. "Give me a break, will you?"

"What's going on?" Anthony Goldstein asked, having just arrived at the table after likely having overslept again. He slid in between Terry Boot and Stephen.

Terry grinned. "Same old, same old—Mike's finding something about Stephen that annoys him."

"It's not as though I try!" Michael corrected.

"Nevertheless, you do," Kevin Entwhistle announced from Michael's other side.

Anthony looked over Stephen's arm to see what all the commotion was about. "So, what is it?"

"An Avengers issue," Stephen told him, and he showed him the cover.

"What're 'Avengers'?"

"American superheroes," Stephen said. "Like us, but without magic. Well, most of the time."

"How'd you get into American comics anyway?" Terry asked.

"My dad has a collection of the old stuff from around the fifties, and he sort of got me hooked. Of course, he's more of a DC bloke while I appreciate Marvel more."

"What's Marvel?" Anthony asked, starting to get thoroughly confused.

Stephen laughed and pointed to a corner of the cover page. "The publisher, Tony. Marvel has a different cast than DC does. Think 'Captain America' instead of 'Superman.'"

"Oh…" Still, he looked befuddled. "I think."

"So I s'pose we won't see you in the library on break after lunch," Terry remarked.

"Nope," Stephen said. "It's just as important to relax as it is to study for O.W.L.s, mates." As he said that, he and the others finished breakfast, Anthony rushing through, and then they headed to class.

In Charms, Stephen showed perfect restraint and didn't even disturb the comic issues tucked between his Herbology and Astronomy notes. But, in both Charms and History of Magic, Anthony appeared highly curious about his friend's delivery.

He kept peeking at Stephen's bag, so finally Stephen asked, "Would you like to read with me during break?"

Perhaps it was due to how fair Anthony's hair was and how it subsequently provided such contrast, but his blush at being caught was almost Puddifoot-worthy. "Oh! Ah, um…"

"It's fine with me."

Anthony broke into a timid smile. "All right, then."

Stephen blinked and turned away, trying to focus on the rest of Binns' class. Then again, he'd never done that very much to begin with, so instead he counted down the time until he and his desk mate would go on break.

The class and the one after dragged on longer than they should have, but Stephen chocked that up to him actually having plans to hang out with someone for once. Often he and Kevin hung out purely by accident, so Anthony wanting to join in his down time was a nice change of pace.

Lunch was quick, as Stephen wanted to savor the four issues his dad has passed along. Stephen liked to keep up on recent issues, but he loved it best when his dad found him old issues from the decade before. There was more to the storylines from then, and Stephen enjoyed pouring over the dialogue and pictures, almost trying to find deeper meaning and symbolism within the pages. Sometimes he thought himself ridiculous for doing so, but mostly he knew that any reading was good and worth the while—it was just as important to read for inspiration and encouragement as it was to read for information and assurance.

In the library, he almost forgot that Anthony would be joining him, so, when he heard the footfall behind him, he turned around. "Ah, sorry, I should've waited," Stephen apologized.

Anthony caught his breath and waved him off. "It's fine." His face was flushed as it had been before, but it was more subtle this time. It made him look a bit like a girl, Stephen mused.

"Anyway," the taller eagle said, tearing his eyes away from Anthony's face and marching into the library, "you can read the ones I have with me. I didn't grab the others I have because I didn't know Dad would be sending these so soon."

"It's fine," the blond repeated, and he trailed behind Stephen quietly and obediently as the other wizard went and found his favorite reading nook by one of the corners. There was a carrel there by the window, and the combination of light and privacy had easily made the place Stephen's favorite in the entire castle since a spring day in first year. Stephen sat down in the carrel, and, when he realized there was no room for Anthony, he used a quick Summoning Charm to snatch a chair when Madam Pince wasn't looking.

"All right, here you go," he told his friend, passing Anthony an issue in a story arc he hadn't read yet. He figured it best that Anthony didn't spoil the end of the current one if he had to ask Stephen any questions.

"It's amazing, the things Muggles do," Anthony said in awe as he simply poured over the front cover.

Stephen shrugged and then dove into his own issue, tuning out the rest of the world.

It was a little different, reading something like this with someone nearby and knowing that they were reading almost the exact same thing. Usually it was easy to ignore the world completely. But maybe it was his excitement in knowing that Stephen was sharing his hobby, his material love with someone else. Especially with someone as rather innocent as Anthony, who was willing to give just about anything a try.

Stephen tried shaking his head free of this distraction, however, and read on. In the chapter in his hands, Captain America and Iron Man were struggling with sharing leadership not only with the other Avengers but mainly with one another. A mission had gone awry, and, ever the soldier, Captain had taken it personally to heart, as though they'd lost everything. Ever the realist, Iron Man was trying to convince Captain America that, if they were to assign blame, it'd go to the villains, because their plan had been perfect. The two of them couldn't agree on anything, though, even long after the other Avengers retired for the night and Captain vowed to patrol the skies. Iron Man struggled not to snap at his close friend and offered to keep an eye on things using the security system in Avengers Tower. Stephen couldn't blame Iron Man—"Cap'n" was just too good at heart sometimes.

Stephen finished his issue after a while and reread it before he finally chanced a glance at Anthony. Anthony was just completing his first reading, and he looked up at Stephen. "So, I've got a question."

"Shoot. As long as you don't spoil the storyline."

Anthony nodded. "Well, maybe I'm just reading into it too much, but…doesn't Steve—I mean, the Captain—sort of fill the void in Tony's—I mean, Iron Man's—life that Pepper Potts left? Since she's not really predominant in the whole Avengers cast."

Stephen's brown eyes widened in a moment of shock, but then he broke into a huge grin and had to stifle a guffaw. He even leaned back in his chair and smacked his knee with his hand, he was silently laughing so hard.

"What, what?" Anthony asked, flustered. When Stephen sat up straight again, he could see through his tears that Anthony's face was flushed again—adorably so.

Stephen blinked in realization, but his smile didn't go away. "No, no…" He caught his breath. "I've always kind of wondered myself if they were that way. You know, what _really_ happens when the Avengers retire for the night." He snickered then, but not at Anthony.

The blond boy pouted. "Then why did you laugh? Steve and Tony are good together, I think. I mean, I've never really thought of those…sorts of things before, but they even sound good together. I mean, Captain America and Iron Man!"

Stephen couldn't help teasing him. "You mean Steve and Tony."

Anthony grew more annoyed and more flustered and yet doubly adorable. "Yes, yes, those two—" He stopped midsentence. For being a Ravenclaw, Anthony could be a bit slow sometimes. "Ah, I mean, I mean—"

"So Steves and Tonys sound good together, you think?" Stephen asked, pushing the comics aside.

"I, ahm…"

Stephen eyed Anthony. He'd never thought of anyone as cute before, and certainly never thought that way about a boy. But there was a self-doubt that Anthony seemed to have, a doubt that Stephen wanted to explore and perhaps protect. But he had to confirm the doubt first. "Shall we test your theory?"

Anthony said nothing as Stephen leaned forward. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and braced himself—but when Stephen only lightly pecked his lips and then leaned back, Anthony opened his eyes and exhaled. But he did so more out of surprise than in relief. "Oh."

Now Stephen felt his face warm, for what in Merlin's name had he done?! He gathered his belongings and crammed everything into his rucksack, hastily standing. "I'll, uh, see you in class."

He went to move past Anthony, but Anthony caught his arm and kept him there. Again, Stephen was stunned. Anthony was stronger than he looked. "Wait," the blond said.

"Um, you're already making me wait."

Anthony didn't blush this time. "Right… Stephen—Steve," he corrected, testing the intimacy of the nickname on his lips, "can't we read a little longer?"

Stephen felt hurt. After what had just happened, _that_ was all Anthony could think to say? He grumbled to himself, but the logical part of him said that if one were willing to forget the incident had ever happened, then the other could likely forget it just as well. With a sigh that covered a groan, Stephen nodded stiffly and sat back down. He pulled out another issue and went to pass Anthony another one, too.

But Anthony shook his head and moved his seat so that he was right beside Stephen. He didn't even bat an eyelash when their thighs bumped and their upper arms touched. "No, I'd like to read on with you this time, if that's all right."

**Author's Note:**

> 83 *dies* TOO. CUTE. GAH! X3 Sorry. I think Anthony's adorable no matter what, but it just clicked that Anthony kinda looks like Steve Rogers/Captain American, and my headcanon for Stephen kinda looks like Tony Stark/Iron Man. I was only intending to make a pun of their names, 'cuz I ship both SteveTony ships, but *lol*. XD I also would like to think that at least someone in Harry's year liked American comics, so I made that Stephen. -w- Lastly, Captain America/Iron Man/Avengers all belong to Marvel, while Superman belongs to DC—not to me.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki :3
> 
> 2017 note: Oh, Godric. XD Entertaining, with a side of cliché, tbh. This 2013 fic is cute, tho. Anthony Goldstein just…he still seems like one of the cutest things ever, to me, and I will never write him a different way. -w- I'm glad that, coming back to this to reread and edit, I only had to change some of the language to make it more British and less American. :P


End file.
